Combination of phytase and citric acid,but not phytase alone,ensures regular rates of growth and bone mineralization in quails under severe phosphorus restriction

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of phytase (PHY), alone or in combination with citric acid (CA), on growing Japanese quails under moderate and severe phosphorus (P) restriction. For this, 504 one‐day‐old female quails were distributed in a completely randomised design with seven treatments and six replications. Treatments consisted of the following diets: (a) positive control (PC): formulated according to quails nutritional requirements; (b) negative control 40% (NC₄₀): PC with 40% less aP; (c) NC₄₀+PHY; (d) NC₄₀+PHY+CA; (e) negative control 65% (NC₆₅): PC with 65% less aP; (f) NC₆₅+PHY; (g) NC₆₅+PHY+CA. Phytase and CA were included at 300 FTU/kg and 40 g/kg, respectively. Performance, bone mineralization and plasma mineral concentration were evaluated at day 35; calcium (Ca) and P metabolism, between days 36 and 39. No significant differences in performance, plasma Ca and P were detected between quails fed PC or NC₄₀; however, NC₄₀ decreased tibia ash (p < 0.01). Treatment NC₆₅ impaired daily weight gain (p = 0.01), tibia ash (p < 0.01), and tibia optical densitometry (p = 0.03), as well as modified plasma Ca (p < 0.01) and P (p = 0.03) concentrations when compared to PC. Both NC₄₀ and NC₆₅ reduced P excretion (p < 0.01). Phytase alone restored tibia ash of NC₄₀ quails to regular rates. Nevertheless, only PHY and CA combined returned plasma P, tibia ash, tibia optical densitometry, and daily weight gain of quails fed NC₆₅ to similar values as those observed in PC. In conclusion, PHY alone suppresses the negative effects of moderate P restriction in growing Japanese quails, but fails in this task under severe P restriction. In such a situation, only the combination of PHY and CA ensures regular rates of growth and bone mineralization. This concept should be better explored by producers in order to take full advantage of the reduction in P excretion achieved by lowering dietary P concentrations.     

Determination of free flavan-3-ol content in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) air-classified flours: comparative study of HPLC-DAD/MS and spectrophotometric determinations

The determination of free flavan-3-ol compounds in barley flours (cv. Gotic) and two resulting milling fractions (fine fraction 57% and coarse fraction 43%, w/w) obtained by air classification of dehulled grain is herein described. The determinations were carried out using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with both diode array detection and ESI-MS compared with conventional spectrophotometric determinations (total phenolic compounds by the Folin-Ciocalteu method and free radical scavenging activity with the DPPH assay). Significant correlations among the HPLC quantification, the spectrophotometric data, and the antioxidant capacity of extracts were revealed by Pearson's analysis. Nine flavan-3-ols were identified by HPLC-MS. Catechins and their derivatives were found to make a substantial contribution to the antioxidant power of extracts. The coarse fraction showed larger concentrations of flavan-3-ols (221%) with respect to the fine fraction. This was confirmed by the antioxidant activity of the analyzed flours. The coarse fraction showed the greatest antioxidant activity (1200.1 +/- 66.2 micromol of Trolox equiv/100 g of flour) with respect to whole meal and fine fraction (1025.9 +/- 18.3 and 761.7 +/- 55.3 micromol of Trolox equiv/100 g of flour, respectively).     

Evaluation of Physicochemical and Glycaemic Properties of Commercial Plant-Based Milk Substitutes

The market for plant-based dairy-type products is growing as consumers replace bovine milk in their diet, for medical reasons or as a lifestyle choice. A screening of 17 different commercial plant-based milk substitutes based on different cereals, nuts and legumes was performed, including the evaluation of physicochemical and glycaemic properties. Half of the analysed samples had low or no protein contents (<0.5 %). Only samples based on soya showed considerable high protein contents, matching the value of cow’s milk (3.7 %). An in-vitro method was used to predict the glycaemic index. In general, the glycaemic index values ranged from 47 for bovine milk to 64 (almond-based) and up to 100 for rice-based samples. Most of the plant-based milk substitutes were highly unstable with separation rates up to 54.39 %/h. This study demonstrated that nutritional and physicochemical properties of plant-based milk substitutes are strongly dependent on the plant source, processing and fortification. Most products showed low nutritional qualities. Therefore, consumer awareness is important when plant-based milk substitutes are used as an alternative to cow’s milk in the diet.     

Influence of Gluten Proteins and Drying Temperature on the Cooking Quality of Durum Wheat Pasta

It is well known that gluten plays a major role in determining cooking quality in durum wheat pasta. This work is an attempt to systematically elucidate the role of gluten quantity and nature in determining cooking quality as a function of the drying cycle used in the manufacturing process. Gluten and starch were fractionated from two durum wheat cultivars possessing good and poor gluten quality. Either of them were then added back to the original base semolina to alter its protein content and to produce two semolina series with identical protein contents. Semolinas were processed into pasta and dried following three drying programs (low, medium, and high temperature). Cooking quality was determined with sensorial, chemical, and instrumental methods. The results indicate that optimum cooking time is governed by gluten quality. The positive effect on cooking quality of increasing gluten contents and of the application of HT drying is evident in weak gluten samples, but it is not significant in the strong gluten samples.     

Development of Functional Spaghetti Enriched with Long Chain Omega‐3 Fatty Acids

Results concerning the production of spaghetti enriched in long chain (LC) n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and, in particular, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) are reported. Pasta enrichment was obtained by adding different amounts of integrator (0.6, 1.2, and 1.8%) containing EPA (C20:5 n‐3) and DHA (C22:6 n‐3) in a microencapsulated form to commercial semolina. The addition of 1.2% integrator yielded spaghetti that provides ≈20% of the recommended daily intake of LC n‐3 PUFA with high sensorial acceptability and low loss of LC n‐3 PUFA after cooking (<10%). Thus, spaghetti fortified with EPA+DHA could be used to increase consumption of LC n‐3 PUFA and to decrease the dietary n‐6/n‐3 ratio.     

Crustacean-acanthocephalan interaction and host cell-mediated immunity: parasite encapsulation and melanization

Host-parasite interactions of Pomphorhynchus laevis (Müller, 1776) in naturally infected amphipod, Echinogammarus stammeri (Karaman), from the Brenta River (northern Italy) are described. A fully developed acanthocephalan larva occupies a large portion of an amphipod's haemocoelic space; thus, the parasite frequently induces displacement of host digestive tract and other internal organs. However, no apparent damage to the host's internal structures was observed. Within the haemocoel of E. stammeri, each larva of P. laevis is surrounded with a membranous layer, formed by microvilli, which maintains intimate contact with the amphipod's internal organs and haemocytes. Three types of circulatory haemocytes were identified based upon their distinct appearance: hyaline cell, semi-granular cell and granular cell. Echinogammarus stammeri haemocytes surrounded acanthocephalan larvae and in some instances a partially and/or totally melanized P. laevis larva was noticed. Interestingly, no melanized larvae were found in E. stammeri parasitized with other acanthocephalans namely Echinorhynchus truttae (Schrank, 1788), Polymorphus minutus (Goeze, 1782) and Acanthocephalus clavula (Dujardin, 1845).     

Nutritional properties and ultra-structure of commercial gluten free flours from different botanical sources compared to wheat flours

Coeliac patients suffer from an immune mediated disease, triggered by the ingestion of a protein composite (gluten) found in wheat, rye and barley. Consequently, there is a need for products such as bread or pasta, made from alternative cereal grains or pseudocereals. A fair proportion of the gluten free products currently on the market are nutritionally inadequate. Hence, it was the aim of this study to investigate the nutrient composition of seven commonly used commercial gluten free flours (oat, rice, sorghum, maize, teff, buckwheat and quinoa) and compare them to wheat and wholemeal wheat flour. In addition to the levels of all major compounds, also mineral composition, fatty acid profile, phytate, polyphenols and folate content were determined. Furthermore, properties of carbohydrates were studied in greater detail, looking at total and damaged starch levels; total, soluble and insoluble dietary fibre content as well as amylose/amylopectin ratio. Proteins were further investigated by means of capillary electrophoreses. Additionally, the ultra-structure of these materials was explored using scanning electron microscopy. The results show that maize and rice flour are poor regarding their nutritional value (low protein, fibre, folate contents). In contrast, teff as well as the pseudocereals quinoa and buckwheat show a favourable fatty acid composition and are high in protein and folate. In particular, quinoa and teff are characterised by high fibre content and are high in calcium, magnesium and iron. Therefore these flours represent nutrient-dense raw materials for the production of gluten free foods.     

Biopriming in bean seeds

The incorporation of biological control organisms in seeds may help control pathogens and improve seedling performance. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of biopriming bean seeds with Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis using physiological conditioning, suspensions of biological structures and film coating techniques. Biopriming treatments with suspensions of biological structures were performed using the commercial products Agrotrich plus^® and Rhizoliptus^®. Water restriction was achieved using a PDA?+?Manitol (?0.7?MPa) medium for both Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis. Fifty disinfected bean seeds were placed in each petri dish. When the first radicle protrusion appeared in a seed, the other seeds were removed and dried in the laboratory environment for 48?h. Film coating was performed with the addition of the Color Seed^® (150?mL kg^?1) polymer to a treatment solution containing either the Trichoderma spp. or the Rhizoliptus product. Seeds were dried for 48?h in the laboratory. Seeds were covered and treated with one or both organisms. Biopriming with spore or bacterial cell suspensions promoted bean seedling growth, and the other techniques were not required to potentiate these benefits. Covering the primed bean seeds reduced seed quality. Both Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis promote bean seedling growth, benefitting the seedling even after it becomes independent of the seed reserves.     

Identification of buckwheat phenolic compounds by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC–ESI-TOF-MS)

This study describes the characterization of phenolic compounds in buckwheat. Reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS) has been applied to separate and characterize thirty phenolic compounds in buckwheat flour. As far as we know, 2-hydroxy-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosil-benzoic acid, 1-O-caffeoyl-6-O-alpha-rhamnopyranosyl-β-glycopyranoside and epicatechin-3-(3″-O-methyl) gallate were tentatively identified in buckwheat for the first time. The sensitivity, mass accuracy and true isotopic pattern of the TOF-MS, legitimated the identification of phenolic compounds present in buckwheat extract.